SUSTAINABILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND ORGANIC SILKS
HOW GREEN IS SILK FROM BIDDLE SAWYER?
Global Warming Potential (GWP) confirms silk has no negative impact on global warming. Research shows silk is the only fibre that produces more oxygen than it consumes. Mulberry trees also contribute towards reducing carbon dioxide and greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and do not require the use of pesticides or other harmful chemical controls.
At Biddle Sawyer 100% of your orders are printed inside our own factory, in Macclesfield, Cheshire. 100% of our water is drawn from our own reservoir, which contains no chlorine, chloramines, mercury, VOC’s, pharmaceuticals, herbicides or pesticides and 100% of your order is managed by people we employ.
Reducing our impact on the environment continues to be at the very top of our agenda. 2023 has seen the installation of solar panels at our Cheshire factory. Sunlight generates 37% of all power used within the factory.
For those of you looking for fully organic silk, we also sell GOTS fabrics. We are accredited by the Global Organic Textile Standard. GOTS gives you the confidence in the entire textile supply chain from farm to fabric.
REGGIANI PRINTER AND INKS
Biddle Sawyer has been digitally printing silks for over fifteen years. We have invested in many different types of machine, with a varying focus on requirements over the years. Our attention is now equally balanced between sustainability and quality. We began our journey with Dupont, moving onto Mimaki.
We recently invested in the most efficient and green digital printer; the Reggiani FLEXY. This boasts the lowest ink usage, saving up to 95% ink, right first time; avoiding the costly exercise of reprints and a cost management system highlighting all areas of waste.
“It wasn’t until we invested in the Reggiani FLEXY we realised, sometimes, there does not need to be a compromise between quality and sustainability.”
ENERGY AND WASTE
Our focus is on reducing waste water and lowering energy usage.
Biddle Sawyer Silks and Adamley Textiles are two divisions within one company. By combining all printing under one roof we work to a very high efficiency KPI. Waste inks and waste water are recycled within the digital printing department, giving you the confidence to know we are not creating unnecessary effluent. Nevertheless our factory participates in random/unannounced inspections from United Utilities as a means to audit our performance.
ORGANIC SILKS
The Global Organic Textiles Standard is the worldwide leading processing standard for organic fibres, universally accepted in all major markets. For any textile which is awarded GOTS certification, it is a recognition that the product is sourced, processed and manufactured sustainably from start to finish.
In short, it means that the product is actually organic, unlike how many textile companies will label their products organic when it may not be 100% true. Without GOTS certification, this may mean that the product only contains a small amount of organic fibres, or that only part of the manufacturing process was carried out sustainably.
So, if you’re on the look out for 100% authentic, organic materials – look out for the GOTS certification for guaranteed recognition of its organic status.
